The Complete Tragedies of William Shakespeare - All 12 Books in One Edition. William Shakespeare

Sir, the people

       Must have their voices; neither will they bate

       One jot of ceremony.

       MENENIUS.

       Put them not to’t:—

       Pray you, go fit you to the custom; and

       Take to you, as your predecessors have,

       Your honour with your form.

       CORIOLANUS.

       It is a part

       That I shall blush in acting, and might well

       Be taken from the people.

       BRUTUS.

       Mark you that?

       CORIOLANUS.

       To brag unto them,—thus I did, and thus;—

       Show them the unaching scars which I should hide,

       As if I had receiv’d them for the hire

       Of their breath only!

       MENENIUS.

       Do not stand upon’t.—

       We recommend to you, tribunes of the people,

       Our purpose to them;—and to our noble consul

       Wish we all joy and honour.

       SENATORS.

       To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!

       [Flourish. Exeunt all but SICINIUS and BRUTUS.]

       BRUTUS.

       You see how he intends to use the people.

       SICINIUS.

       May they perceive’s intent! He will require them

       As if he did contemn what he requested

       Should be in them to give.

       BRUTUS.

       Come, we’ll inform them

       Of our proceedings here: on the marketplace

       I know they do attend us.

       [Exeunt.]

       SCENE III. Rome. The Forum.

       [Enter several citizens.]

       FIRST CITIZEN.

       Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.

       SECOND CITIZEN.

       We may, sir, if we will.

       THIRD CITIZEN. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do: for if he show us his wounds and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds and speak for them; so, if he tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for the multitude to be ingrateful were to make a monster of the multitude; of the which we being members, should bring ourselves to be monstrous members.

       FIRST CITIZEN. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve; for once we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude.

       THIRD CITIZEN. We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some brown, some black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so diversely coloured; and truly I think if all our wits were to issue out of one skull, they would fly east, west, north, south; and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the points o’ the compass.

       SECOND CITIZEN.

       Think you so? Which way do you judge my wit would fly?

       THIRD CITIZEN. Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man’s will,—‘tis strongly wedged up in a block-head; but if it were at liberty ‘twould, sure, southward.

       SECOND CITIZEN.

       Why that way?

       THIRD CITIZEN. To lose itself in a fog; where being three parts melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience’ sake, to help to get thee a wife.

       SECOND CITIZEN.

       You are never without your tricks:—you may, you may.

       THIRD CITIZEN. Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that’s no matter, the greater part carries it. I say, if he would incline to the people, there was never a worthier man. Here he comes, and in the gown of humility. Mark his behaviour. We are not to stay all together, but to come by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He’s to make his requests by particulars, wherein every one of us has a single honour, in giving him our own voices with our own tongues; therefore follow me, and I’ll direct you how you shall go by him.

       ALL.

       Content, content.

       [Exeunt.]

       [Enter CORIOLANUS and MENENIUS.]

       MENENIUS.

       O sir, you are not right; have you not known

       The worthiest men have done’t!

       CORIOLANUS.

       What must I say?—

       ‘I pray, sir’—Plague upon’t! I cannot bring

       My tongue to such a pace.—‘Look, sir,—my wounds;—

       I got them in my country’s service, when

       Some certain of your brethren roar’d, and ran

       From the noise of our own drums.’

       MENENIUS.

       O me, the gods!

       You must not speak of that: you must desire them

       To think upon you.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Think upon me! Hang ‘em!

       I would they would forget me, like the virtues

       Which our divines lose by ‘em.

       MENENIUS.

       You’ll mar all:

       I’ll leave you. Pray you speak to ‘em, I pray you,

       In wholesome manner.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Bid them wash their faces

       And keep their teeth clean.

       [Exit MENENIUS.]

       So, here comes a brace:

       [Re-enter two citizens.]

       You know the cause, sirs, of my standing here.

       FIRST CITIZEN.

       We do, sir; tell us what hath brought you to’t.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Mine own desert.

       SECOND CITIZEN.

       Your own desert?

       CORIOLANUS.

       Ay, not mine own desire.

       FIRST CITIZEN.

       How! not your own desire!

       CORIOLANUS. No, sir, ‘twas never my desire yet to trouble the poor with begging.

       FIRST CITIZEN.

       You must think, if we give you anything, we hope to gain by you.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Well then, I pray, your price o’ the consulship?

       FIRST CITIZEN.

       The price is to ask it kindly.

       CORIOLANUS. Kindly! sir, I pray, let me ha’t: I have wounds to show you, which shall be yours in private.—Your good voice, sir; what say you?

       SECOND CITIZEN.

       You shall ha’ it, worthy sir.

       CORIOLANUS. A match, sir.—There’s in all two worthy voices begg’d.—I have your alms: adieu.

       FIRST CITIZEN.